''We're going to have to find a way to win in spite of it all,'' he said.

Life without Q began in earnest several hours later, when Glavine checked the Baltimore Orioles on one earned run and the middle infield combination of Walt Weiss and Rafael Furcal knocked in four runs in a 7-3 win that gave the Braves a three-game sweep before the largest regular-season crowd (49,013) in Camden Yards history and a five-game lead in the NL East over the free-falling Mets.

''We play every day and if there's a weakness, it will get exposed,'' Weiss said. ''But this team has overcome a lot of injuries the last two years and I think we can hold down the fort.''

There was much for the Braves to feel good about during their three-day stay by the Chesapeake. Despite a pair of errors Saturday, they played outstanding defense, the highlight being Andruw Jones' home run-robbing catch of Delino DeShield's drive in the seventh, and the three straight wins is their longest streak since reeling off six in a row May 12-18.

The Braves also received terrific performances from their starters and the lineup outscored the Orioles 17-7 in the three games.

''We did in these three days what this team is supposed to do,'' said Glavine, who improved to 10-5 with seven innings of seven-hit work. ''We pitched well, we hit well and we played good defense, sometimes spectacular defense.''

For the third day in a row, the offense got started in the fourth inning. Weiss hit a bases-loaded single against Orioles starter Scott Erickson, then Rafael Furcal rolled a two-run single through the right side and third baseman Jeff Conine couldn't handle Baltimore native Brian Jordan's smash to make it 4-1.

Javy Lopez, who singled and scored in the fourth, launched Erickson's 3 and 1 pitch into the left field stands in the fifth for his 13th home run of the season. Lopez now has five straight multi-hit games and is hitting .514 in July.

In the seventh, consecutive singles by Andres Galarraga, Wally Joyner, Lopez and Reggie Sanders produced two more runs and Erickson was done, saddled with his fourth loss in his last five decisions.

''I know we're all disappointed about (Veras' injury),'' Glavine said, ''but that lineup we put out there today is still pretty good.''

The Orioles took a 1-0 lead in the third when All-Star shortstop Mike Bordick followed Brady Anderson's two-out single with a line-hugging double to left, sending Anderson across the plate. But after the Braves scored four runs in the fourth, Glavine slammed the door.

B.J. Surhoff doubled with two out in the fourth, but Glavine induced Charles Johnson to tap to Weiss, then Chipper Jones' error on Surhoff's infield hit in the sixth allowed Will Clark to score.

That was all the Orioles managed against Glavine, who has won his last three decisions and lowered his earned run average to 3.50.

Now, if the Braves can keep Weiss and Furcal off the disabled list, they might survive the summer.

''If those two guys can avoid the injury bug from here on out, we'll be OK,'' Glavine said.